Live exports to shamed abattoirs suspended

The footage showed Australian cattle being beaten, whipped and kicked prior to slaughter.

ABC TV

Live cattle exports to 11 Indonesian abattoirs investigated by the ABC's Four Corners program will be suspended, Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig has confirmed.

Senator Ludwig told Labor Caucus of the decision as anger mounted over the scenes of mistreatment exposed on last night's program.

He said he was establishing an independent review to look at the whole supply chain of Australian cattle exports to Indonesia, and reserved the right to add more abattoirs to the list of banned facilities.

Senator Ludwig also announced the suspension of a type of animal-restraint box used in live exports.

He says he has asked Australia's chief veterinary officer to undertake an examination of the boxes used.

Last night's Four Corners program included footage of Australian cattle being beaten, whipped and kicked prior to slaughter, and the RSPCA says some of the animals showed signs of possibly being conscious as they were dismembered.

The Greens back a complete ban on live exports and independent MP Andrew Wilkie will introduce a private member's bill into Parliament later today.

Nationals leader Warren Truss, however, says live exports should be allowed to continue if there are guarantees that Australian cattle will be stunned prior to slaughter.

But Four Corners can reveal that the slaughtering of Australian cattle in some of the worst Indonesian abattoirs continues, despite promises by the industry for an immediate ban.

Industry bodies Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and LiveCorp announced last week they were suspending the supply of cattle to three Indonesian slaughterhouses after seeing footage of abattoirs provided by Four Corners.

LiveCorp boss Cameron Hall said the ban would take immediate effect and would apply "until suitable standards and suitable practices and suitable equipment is in place".

After viewing the Four Corners footage last Tuesday, the industry bodies requested a ban on the Bayur abattoir in Jakarta and the Kaliawi and Mabar facilities in Sumatra.

But when a Four Corners representative visited Bayur abattoir in Jakarta yesterday, eight Australian animals were slaughtered and 10 more were delivered for slaughter later that night.

At the Mabar abattoir in Medan, scene of some of the most grotesque abuse of Australian cattle, the slaughter of Australian animals also continues, provincial government officials responsible for the abattoir told Four Corners yesterday.

The Kaliawi abattoir in Bandar Lampung, also part of the requested ban, had ceased operation due to financial pressures facing the owner.

Gondrong in Jakarta, the fourth abattoir shown to industry by Four Corners, continues to operate.

When asked by Four Corners why this facility was not suspended, Mr Hall said training could address the issues.

"We've got 10 people going up to the facilities in the marketplace over the next week on top of the five people that we have in the Indonesian marketplace providing training."